Quality Information Advice and Guidance for ULRs

8/14/2019 Quality Information Advice and Guidance for ULRs

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quality IAG in unionlearning projects

Right directions


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Good quality IAGis absolutely

central to the

development ofworkplace

learning projects.

foreword

These are just some of the questions facing learners in

the workplace and its to their union learning

representatives that they turn for the answers in the

form of information, advice and guidance.

Good quality IAG is absolutely central to the

development of workplace learning projects. Its what

ensures learners find the course best suited to them;

start at the right level; and study at a time and place

thats most convenient.

Thats why dozens of union branches, learning initiatives

and career advice partnerships have worked towards

and achieved the matrix Quality Standard, a process

which ensures the continuous development of theirIAG services.

All of them have benefited from the help TUC

Learning Services has been able to provide through our

national IAG project, with funding from the Learning

and Skills Council.

With the considerable expertise we have amassed in

recent years, were able to support union projects

working towards the standard by training their project

workers and ULRs in IAG, preparing them for theassessment and supporting their development beyond it.

The dozen case studies in this folder show what can be

achieved with the help of TUC Learning Services, local

IAG Partnerships and the Employment NTO, which is now

responsible for the development of the matrix Standard.

I hope that they help inspire projects throughout the

union learning world to continue to further improve the

all-important IAG they offer their learners.

Whats the best course for me?Where can I go to do my learning?

How do I take the next step in my career development?

Liz Smith

national officer

TUC Learning Services

Photos: above Martin Jenkinson

below Paul Herrmann


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The whole matrix process

was really positive. It

supported us in our

development, in setting

up a quality framework

and in working together

as a team.

case study

Success with learningprojects has come thick and

fast in Newcastle and its all

down to working together.

Newcastle City Council credits its acclaimed partnership

approach to workplace learning involving its trade

unions for gainingmatrix.

Demand for learning led to the opening of the Brinkburnlearning centre, a learndirect access point within the

Trade Union Hub, offering free computer and basic skills

courses supported by centre staff.

And the verdict on its work? Effective partnerships

have been developed with a range of providers,

professional groups and agencies to ensure that their

clients receive the most appropriate training andlearning opportunities," said the matrix report on

the centre.

Building on this success, a small group of learners

was allowed time off to undertake a maths and

English programme as a pilot, with the support of

CityBuild management.

The pilot received second year funding from the

Learning for All Fund and over 158 learners have now

taken up the offer of courses, with the projectreceiving national acclaim.

Management and unions have now launched the

Learning Council Project across the whole authority,

which builds on the good practice and partnerships

already established through earlier initiatives.

The project has been able to to encourage people to

sign up for learning with funding from eQ8, the local

Employer Training Pilot which had already financed the

CityBuild Skills for Life scheme.

Partners in progress

Photos John Jones


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Through eQ8 the City Council has released staff for

basic skills who would not otherwise have had release,

explains Felicity Mendelson, project manager.

Newcastle City Council is now committed to thedevelopment of essential skills for all staff and will

continue to work with eQ8 to reach its targets.

The project is drawing in additional funding for

workplace-based learning kiosks providing computer

access and basic skills support.

Even before Brinkburn Centre opened we were a

member of Tyne and Wear IAG Network. This was

really useful, as it holds regular meetings of all members

for information sharing etc, says Felicity.

Once we decided to go for matrix, we talked to a

quality adviser who supports providers through the

process. He visited us regularly while we were working

towards the standard, which was very useful as we were

a new centre. That helped us in our development,

quality framework and team working.

The inspection was quite rigorous

but we particularly liked the

emphasis on user

feedback, which is really

important to us.

Since gainingmatrix, we

continue to

receive support

from the

network, setting

targets for

continuous

service

improvement. One

of the Brinkburn

staff now has Level 3NVQ IAG, provided by

the network, and we

intend to send more staff to

do Level 2 eQ8 funding could

be available for this.

The whole matrix process was really positive. As a new

centre it supported us in our development, in setting up

a quality framework and in working together as a team.

The process is ongoing continuous service

improvement leading up to the next assessment."

case study

The Brinkburn Centre was officially

opened in May 2002 and became a

learndirect access point in November

2002, offering free computer and basic

skills courses. Since then, learning

opportunities in the city have flourished.

The Learning Council Project was awarded

matrix in May 2003 and receives

continued support from the Tyne and

Wear IAG Network.

Contact: Felicity Mendelsonproject manager

[email protected]

0191 278 1946/7


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The passionate way inwhich they promote

and encouragelearning opportunities

is infectious and hasspread.

case study Firm foundations

Bricklaying, plastering and

plumbing are among the

many lifelong skills now on

offer to Manchester City

Council staff.

Bargaining 4 Skills (B4S), Manchester City Councils

award winning partnership between unions and

management in the Environmental and Operational

Services Division, is making a daily difference to thelives of thousands of staff.

B4S aims to supply information, advice, guidance and

support to employees on lifelong learning issues.

That means more than 4,500 people working for the

division are able to access anything from essential skills,

updating courses on literacy, numeracy and IT as well as

ESOL and multi-skilling courses in bricklaying,

plastering, block paving, plumbing, joinery and

electrical installation.

Through the two B4S learning centres in the city, the

partnership also offers access to learndirect courses,

which are free to employees and their families.

"We live in an ever-changing world and we have to be

prepared to update our skills and knowledge and keep

abreast of technology and legislation that may affect our

employment and employability. ULRs have a unique

relationship with their membership because they have

their trust, confidence and interests at heart, says B4S

co-ordinator Peter Shepherd.

Photos Paul Herrmann


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case study

Bargaining 4 Skills was established in

September 2000, covering staff in the

Environmental and Operational Services

Division of Manchester City Council.

The project was awarded matrix in 2002

and is now looking to extend services with

a new learning centre reaching out to

thousands more staff.

Contact: Pete Shepherdcoordinator

[email protected]

0161 908 5811

"All ULRs ensure confidentiality and are committed to

the initiative. We are from different unions but in the

network meeting and where B4S is concerned, we are

all TUC ULRs who will offer advice and support and also

protect the lifelong learning interests of every individualinvolved. I feel proud of the group and the initiative."

One beneficial spin-off has been the steady

improvement in industrial relations: "Since the inception

of B4S in July 2000, it has not only helped recognise and

meet individual employees needs but has also helped

with industrial relations in some sections of the

department," he says.

B4S was awarded the matrix quality standard in 2002.

The assessment report gave glowing praise to the B4S

team: It is evident that the success of the project is a

result of the enthusiasm and commitment of the

team.The passionate way in which they promote and

encourage learning opportunities is infectious and has

spread not only to the strong network of learning

representatives but to those who have benefited from

the scheme, particularly workers on the shop floor, who

are now actively involved in encouraging and assisting

others.

As if that were not enough, the team has also been

recognised with a Manchester City Council Award of

Excellence for continuous improvement.

And as if to prove it is constantly improving, the projecthopes to open a third learning centre in the town hall

which will allow thousands more staff to acquire the

learning habit.

In addition it is targeting the divisions 500-plus part-time

workers, which will involve finding ways to support staff

who not only work many different shifts but who may

also have issues with essential skills and/or have English

as a second language.


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Gaining matrix has helped

ensure a higher quality of

management and

service delivery for the

benefit of members andpotential members.

case study

Gaining matrix has helped a

new TGWU centre improve

its services to learners in

Leeds.

The Leeds Learning Exchange at the TGWUs newNorthern regional office is open to TGWU members,

their families and potential members and also supports

other learning centres.

Most people are given information and advice about

computer courses, particularly learndirect computer

courses, since the Exchange began delivering IAG in

2003.

The LLEs IAG service uses a number of information

sources that help clients to decide on what they want to

do in terms of learning, training, finding a new job,

careers and redundancy support. These sources include

websites like Worktrain and learndirect Futures, career

books such as Occupations, and contacts with partner

organisations.

The LLE gained matrix in October 2003 with funding for

the accreditation provided by the TUC national IAGproject.

Being partners of the Leeds Network helps to get LLE

staff members to meet other members of the local

learning community at network and steering group

meetings. Because the LLE has a regional agenda, it is

also developing partnerships with adult education

providers and other IAG networks apart from those in

Leeds, says regional education officer Mick Bond.

Exchange students

Photos Martin Jenkinson


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Gaining matrix has helped the LLE ensure a higher

quality of management and service delivery for the

benefit of members and potential members. It verifies

the standard of our administration system and makes us

more professional as a team.

Indeed, it demonstrates the success of the centre.

However, it also reminds us that striving for

improvement is an ongoing process and that we cannot

afford to rest on our laurels.

The delivery of life skills courses to TGWU members is

a key LLE aim, and the LLEs appointment of a life skills

tutor is expected to rapidly progress this aim over the

next year and beyond.

Apart from the excellent advice that it provides, LLE

staff and ULRs are also given the opportunity to gain

qualifications in information and advice to adult learners,

basic skills awareness and CV writing.

case study

The Leeds Learning Exchange opened on

November 15 2002 and is one of a

number of Trade Union Hub learndirect

centres.

It was awarded matrix in October 2003

with funding for accreditation paid for by

the TUC national IAG project.

Contact: Mick Bondmanager

[email protected]

0113 236 4830


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"Having the matrix

standard means we are

able to demonstrate that

we are serious about

learning and that wedeal with learners

aspirations in a

responsible and

professional manner."

case study

Taking learning direct to

people via a roadshow has

put the GPMU streets ahead.

The GPMU Central Midlands Branch was one of the first

unions to gain matrix accreditation for its information,

advice and guidance to adult learners.

Little wonder when you find out that the standard

applies to the branchs Learning Zone initiative, which

provides a learning centre at the branch office as well as

a range of other learning services, including a learning

lorry for employees in the print and graphical

communications sector.

Recently the branch has been promoting its Skills for Life

agreements, which provide a framework for employers

and ULRs to develop a systematic approach to learning,

with the emphasis firmly on building capacity in theworkplace.

The agreements work well when they are underpinned

by a genuine partnership approach that harnesses the

resources of local training providers, vocational training

providers and local learning and skills councils.

"We try to adopt an approach that recognises that each

company is different. We spend a long time listening to

our ULRs and the employer before we enter an

agreement and start developing learning facilities on-site, explains branch training and education manager,

Dave Jeffery.

Having the matrix standard means we are able to

demonstrate that we are serious about learning and that

we deal with learners aspirations in a responsible and

professional manner, he says.

Dave and his colleagues Julia Laird and Judith Alcock

recently took Derbyshire LSCs Learning Lorry to Amcor

Flexible Packagings Crompton Road site in Ilkeston,

Derbyshire.

In the fast lane



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This gave them the opportunity to meet employees off

different shifts and to offer an IAG service on site.

The Learning Lorry is part of Derbyshire LSCs strategyfor promoting their Employer Training Pilot Valuable

Skills. It is equipped with 12 laptops with internet access

and provides a comfortable mobile learning facility.

"It is important that we take learning directly to people

and it is an approach that we encourage our partners in

training provision to adopt. It is difficult for our

members, a lot of whom work shifts, to attend college in

the same time slot week after week. Things are getting

better. Colleges are more imaginative and flexible. But it

has to be at the forefront of our minds when we are

giving advice to potential learners," Dave says. "It is

helpful to be a member of the various local IAG

partnerships. In doing so we can be confident that we

are pointing people in the right direction."

The GPMU Central Midlands Branch was

one of the first unions to gain matrix.

The standard applies to the branchs

Learning Zone initiative, which provides a

learning centre at the branch office and a

range of other learning services for

employees in the print and graphical

communications sector.

Contact: Dave Jefferytraining and education manager

[email protected]

0115 958 5688

case study


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"Gaining matrix was

fabulous for us

because it opened the

door to involvement

with IAG, withresources and people

who could help us."

case study

Success of a regional learning

project has spread like

wildfire across the FBU.

When the learning services offered to firefighters and

their families in the north-east were recognised with thematrix standard for their quality and excellence, project

manager Pam Walton little expected it would be used as

a model for the whole union.

The project got up and running with the union in

Northumberland and at that point Pam was the only

project worker.

But with 350 learners taking courses mainly in

computers, matrix was gained within just six months,

accompanied by much praise for the projects equality

of access.

The following year, the project spread to Tyne and Wear

and from there to Cleveland and now Durham, in the

process changing its name to the North East Fire

Brigades and FBU Partnership Learning Project.

So successful has it been that it is now being used as amodel of best practice as it rolls out nationally across the

union, which in turn will seek matrix accreditation.

"Gainingmatrix was fabulous for us because it opened

the door to involvement with IAG which is the best thing

we ever did. It opened the door to resources and to the

people who could help us, for instance with resources

for a learner who is disabled," says Pam.

Benefits ofmatrix include becoming a member of the

local IAG partnership, information sharing, plus financialhelp with courses, she says.

Northern lights

Photos John Jones


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It also offers the chance for an input at regular monthly

meetings with the local LSC, which in turn provides

resources, for example with promotional materials, flyers

and so on.

"We would go for matrix again. Its an excellent

benchmark and when you are dealing with the FBU

where people have staunch training backgrounds you

cant just walk in and wing it you have to have a quality

mark behind you for them to respect you and have the

credence behind what you are offering."

Pam also praises Chief Fire Officer for Northumberland

Brian Hessler as a major partner in the scheme."Without

his backing this would not have happened," she adds.

The North East Fire Brigades and FBU

Partnership Learning Project was awarded

matrix for its services in 2002 and is now

being rolled out as a model of excellence

across the whole union.

Contact: Pam Waltonproject manager

[email protected] [email protected]

07876 583132

case study


13/27

The governments Skills

Strategy states that all LSC

funded IAG providers

will be required to be

accredited against thematrix standard so, once

again, unions are ahead

of the game.

case study

From learning to make

Christmas cards to life

changing computer courses,

hundreds of Cornish

employees are on the

learning ladder thanks to

strong union partners.

Ros Prigg, Usdaw ULR at Tescos in Penzance, got to

work straight away after completing her TUC ULR

training course.

She gently persuaded 20 colleague to register for an IT

course, which resulted in each developing IT skills to

enable them to design their own Christmas cards just in

time for the course to finish in December.

Some 13 out of the original 20 learners have now

enrolled and started a CLAIT course, which will give

each of them a Level 2 qualification in ICT.

Their story is just one example of how, in a little over two

and half years, TUC Learning Services in Cornwall hasseen remarkable progress on the learning front.

From a very low base, the Objective 1 supported Project

has helped to create a network of 80 ULRs and offered

the opportunity for over 1,000 union members to

benefit from learning.

Its also been involved in 11 ULF projects, five Learning

Works for All projects and one GPMU/LSC project. Four

major conferences have been held and a union voice has

been heard on important partnership bodies throughoutthe county.

Cornish cream

Photos Sean Hernon


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In Cornwall, trade unions are now seen as key partners

in promoting workforce development and the learning

agenda.

"The success of the project has been very encouraging.

Ordinary union members are bringing a real enthusiasm

to learning and helping to upgrade skills and transform

lives," says co-ordinator Geoff Hale.

TUC Learning Services Cornwall gained matrix

accreditation for the delivery of IAG from its team to its

network of ULRs. We are very proud to have achieved

the standard, especially as we are the first organisation

in Cornwall to have done so! says Geoff.

The benefit ofmatrix to our team has not just shown

areas where our processes work well, but also ones that

we can improve upon, and as the accreditation takes

place every two years, it means that we cant rest on ourlaurels and assume that everything we do is fine!

Havingmatrix means that we are now full partners in

GO4, the local IAG Partnership in Devon and Cornwall,

gaining access to free training for the ULRs provided by

GO4, if they require it.

We also sit on the strategic planning group, the key

decision-makers in the partnership. The LSC, local

providers, Jobcentre Plus and Connexions also sit on this

group, enabling our profile to be raised among suchimportant groups.

The main beneficiaries from matrix accreditation are

our network of ULRs and their members, knowing that

the information and advice that we give them will be of a

high standard. Even if we cant answer their query, we

will endeavour to signpost them onto somebody who

can.

The government Skills Strategy states that all LSCfunded IAG providers will be required to be accredited

against the matrix standard so it would appear that,

once again, unions are ahead of the game and that we

mean business and should be taken seriously when it

comes to workforce development.

case study

April 2003 saw TUC Learning Services

Cornwall gain matrix for the delivery of

IAG to its network of union learning

representatives.

The project is now entering a new phase

with the support of the TUCs EQUAL

Project, addressing fundamental issues,

including: how the work of ULRs can be

best sustained; how the need to develop

ULR skills can be taken forward; and how

unions can be more effective in promoting

learning within a rural population.

Contact: Geoff Halecoordinator

[email protected]

01209 611604


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"Branch members cancome to the learners

surgeries held everyFriday in the branch

office and discussany aspect oflearning, from what

course to go on tohow to fund it.

case study

The GMB Grantham

Community branch offers

members and potential

members the chance for

personal and professional

development through its

four-year-old working

learning project.

Although the project originally started at ready meals

manufacturer Fenland Foods, its now expanded to

include all the sites within the community branch

boundaries, particularly the two other major workplaceswhere the union has recognition, poultry processing

firm GW Padley and the Vaculux mouldings plant.

Weve been running a Saturday morning literacy and

numeracy class in the branch office, and none of the

learners come from Fenland Foods, theyre all from other

workplaces, so it is now definitely a community-based

project, says branch training and development

co-ordinator Mark Bartlett.

Its also clearly a successful project: one of the GMBmembers on the Saturday course is Margaret Leeton,

who won the East Midlands learner of the year award

from TUC Learning Services earlier this year; and the

tutor is a union member whom Mark encouraged onto a

City & Guilds basic skills teaching course at Grantham

College.

Branch members can come to the learners surgeries

held every Friday in the branch office and discuss any

aspect of learning, from what course to go on to how to

fund it.

Caring for the community

Photos John Jones


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We let them know about the sessions in the branch

newsletter which we produce every six to eight weeks,

we send posters round to the workplaces, and theres

word of mouth, as well, he says.

But the project has also reached out to dozens of other

potential learners by offering information and advice to

people visiting the local shopping centre one day during

Adult Learners Week as part of a Lincolnshire & Rutland

IAG Partnership initiative.

Its getting bigger and bigger all the time last year,

there were only around nine organisations taking part,

this year there were 14, Mark says.

Grantham College, Yes 4 Learning, the Jobcentre,

Action for Employment, the local library they were all

encouraging people to get enrolled on courses, whereas

we focused on learning in the workplace.

With agricultural and food industry jobs attracting

considerable numbers of asylum-seekers and refugees

arriving into the area, Mark is keen to offer information

and advice about learning opportunities that could help

the migrant workers.

At Fenland Foods, we deal with an

agency in Lincoln who supply

workers, most of whom are

non-EU nationals, so

were trying to set up

an English for

Speakers of OtherLanguages course

for them, Mark

says.

Were also able

to refer them on

for further help to

the IAG

Partnership and

the Lincoln Learning

Shop learndirectcentre.

It can take time to build up

trust with workers who can

often be worried about their

residency status.

The branch is aiming to recruit a couple of union

learning representatives from among the migrant worker

groups. If we can crack that, well really prove that

were a union which cares for people, regardless of

where they come from, Mark says.

case study

The Grantham GMB branch originally

launched its workplace learning project

Recipe 4 Success in partnership between

the union and the ready meals supplier

Fenland Foods in 2000.

The branch was one of the first union

projects to secure matrix accreditation in

autumn 2002.

Although the branch secured backing from

the governments Union Learning Fund

when it was first set up, it currently

receives no substantial external funding.

Contact: Mark Bartlett

GMB Grantham Community branchTraining and development co-ordinator

01476 591870


17/27

With vocational traininga major issue in the

industry, the centrehas been offering

courses in industrystandard software atreduced rates to

GPMU members.

case study

The Leeds & Central

Yorkshire branch of print

union GPMU offers a full

information, advice and

guidance service to everyone

using the learning centre inthe branch office.

The centre, which secured matrix accreditation in 2003,

has helped over 200 members brush up their reading,

writing, maths and IT skills and press on with their

professional development.

But because its open to everyone, not just members of

the union, its also been able to help dozens of non-

members access learning opportunities as well.

The centre concentrates on Skills for Life and IT courses,

according to co-ordinator Dave Mitchell, who started in

post in May 2004, having been a union learning

representative at a local print firm for a couple of years.

The Skills for Life and introductory IT courses run onThursdays, while the more advanced IT courses are

taught on Mondays, but learners are also free to drop in

to use the facilities at any other time during office hours.

The centre takes promotion seriously. Its the marketing

that makes sure people know we exist, and that we have

facilities here that they can use, Dave says. If they

dont know were here, we cant help them.

Once they do come through the doors, they can talk to

Dave about what theyre interested in learning, and hecan suggest what they need to do next whether thats

a course at the centre or study with a partner

organisation or a provider from the Leeds IAG Network.

Full colour learning



18/27

If they sign up to do a course at the centre, they take a

Skills for Life assessment screening to check what level

theyre working at first.

But if they need to study elsewhere, Dave is able to help

point them in the right direction.

Sometimes people come in wanting to do plastering, or

HGV driving, and we can source some courses for them

through our contacts and resources, he says.

With vocational training a major issue in an industry

where too many companies plug their skills gaps by

poaching from the competition, the centre has been

offering courses in industry standard software including

Adobe PhotoShop, Quark XPress and Microsoft

PowerPoint on a Saturday morning.

The courses, which are subsidised by the GPMU, are

available to both members and non-members, althoughmembers are charged a discounted rate.

The network has been able to provide a lot of practical

support to the centre, through meetings, courses and

resources Dave did a dyslexia awareness course

through the network and its also funding him through

his Level 3 NVQ in IAG jointly with the branch.

The Leeds & Central Yorkshire GPMU

learning centre opened in 2002 in thebranch offices in Leeds, as part of the

branchs Life Skills Through Online

Learning project, with money from the

governments Union Learning Fund.

It secured matrix accreditation in 2003

and has received support from the TUC

Building Opportunities through Workplace

Learning (BOWL) Equal project.

Contact: Dave Mitchelllearning centre co-ordinator

[email protected]

0113 243 6687

case study


19/27

Offering the IAGservice has helped

promote learning atthe city and county

councils, especiallyamong peoplewanting courses in

English for Speakers ofOther Languages.

case study

The GMB is working with

Leicester city and county

councils to promote Skills for

Life courses for staff through

the governments EmployerTraining Pilot initiative.

Were used to partnership working in the GMB, its part

of our ethos, explains branch equality officer Dave

Towers. Its a lot easier being a partner than someone

on the outside knocking on the door trying to get in: itslike the difference between being invited to a party and

having to gatecrash!

In the first 12 months of the new scheme, 280 staff have

attended open days about the training, and 70 have

signed up for the corporate programme on essential

skills and 22 for communication skills.

Were keen to make people aware that these courses

are available: its word-of-mouth from colleagues, or

people saying Why dont we do this together? thatsusually most effective, he says.

Our priority is supporting members who need Skills for

Life, communication skills and ESOL courses thats

where the efforts going and thats where its most

rewarding.

The branch is also continuing to offer its information,

advice and guidance service to members which is

proving particularly useful at a time when both city and

county councils are undergoing further restructuring.

Working in partnership

Photos Roy Peters


20/27

Local government is going though a period of change,

departments are being reorganised and peoples jobs

are at risk, Dave says.

But weve got expert advice available that can help

people formulate a CV, or think about their skills and getsupport to apply for internal jobs or try elsewhere, which

is one of the essential things that were all about

supporting our members to stay in work.

Most of the signposting work is done from the branch

office. Weve got all the contacts with Leicester

College, with the lifelong learning department at the city

council and with Gain, the Leicester and Leicestershire

IAG Partnership, Dave says.

Offering the IAG service has helped promote learning at

the authorities, especially among people wanting

courses in English for Speakers of Other Languages,

Dave reckons.

We had some members who came forward needing

ESOL courses and we were able to help them study at

Leicester College, Dave says.

The trouble was that when it came to gaining

employment, they had no experience, so weencouraged ESOL students to come into the branch

office and work one or two days a week and now two of

them have already left us because that experience we

were able to offer them has helped them get jobs

elsewhere.

One of the first union projects to gain the matrix quality

standard in autumn 2002, the branch has been busy

embedding the principles in its information,

advice and guidance work and developing

strong links with Gain.

Our local IAG Partnership is excellent andwe have full involvement, Dave explains.

We attend their meetings and seminars,

and Im on their quality group which

builds links with all the other partners.

The branch is also regularly called upon to

share its experience with newer projects:

Dave has recently helped Midlands TUC

Learning Services support a Skills for Life

initiative at precision rubber firm Dunlop.

Its been a busy four years, but its been a success

story, says Dave.

case study

The GMB in Leicester kicked off its lifelong

learning work four years ago with

Leicester Learning Links, a programme of

reading, writing, maths and IT courses forstaff at the city and county councils, with

money from the governments Union

Learning Fund.

The branch is now continuing that work in

a joint initiative with the local authority

employers and the Learning and Skills

Council, using money from the

governments Employer Training Pilot

scheme to help staff access free Skills for

Life and training up to Level 2.

The branch achieved matrix accreditation

in 2002.

Contact: Dave Towersequality officer

GMB L37 Leicester Services branch

[email protected]

0116 223 4122


21/27

The project is able tohelp staff with their

personal developmentplans, which are

being introduced foreveryone on the NHSpayroll.

case study

The Morecambe Bay lifelong

learning project is now in its

fourth year of helping health

service workers improve their

reading, writing and IT skills.

The project operates right across the trusts three main

sites: the Royal Lancaster Infirmary in the south, Furness

General Hospital to the far west and Westmorland

General Hospital in Kendal to the north.

Since June 2003, theres been a team leader covering

each of the sites: Edwena Mildner at RLI, Sue Brunton at

Furness and Sarah Booth at Westmorland (the initiative

was originally handled by a single project worker).

Its been easier having one team leader on each site,

Sue reckons. Its good to have different people who are

familiar with the different learning cultures in each area.

The project aims to offer broadly similar learningopportunities on each site, but there are variations. We

do try to offer as many of the same things on each site,

but we do make allowances for the different cultures

which means some people want different things, Sue

explains.

The current trio organised a series of roadshows to

introduce themselves to staff when they took over and

let them know about the courses and support available

through the project.

All three of them attended each roadshow, as did many

of the ULRs, and representatives from partner

organisations were also on hand to help whet peoples

appetite for learning.

Skills transfusion

Photos Paul Herrmann


22/27

Anyone looking for information or advice about whats

available can turn up at one of the weekly drop-in clinics

which are run at each site and advertised in the projects

bi-monthly newsletter, on hospital noticeboards and

through a global staff email.

Staff can still approach their ULR about IAG, of course:

and if the rep isnt sure about anything, they can put the

person in touch with the appropriate team leader.

Offering IAG at the workplace is good, because its

where people spend a lot of their time and they often

wouldnt know where to go to get information

otherwise, Sue says.

Now that everyone on the NHS payroll should have a

personal development plan, the project is able to offer

staff help on that score.

The ten-strong team of union learning representatives

meets with the team leaders once a month to keep

everyone up to date with new developments, and one of

the team leaders also attends the bi-monthly steering

group meetings with representatives from all the unions,

the providers, New Frontiers and the project manager.

The trio find the New Frontiers

network meetings very useful

for keeping in touch with

whats available. Sarah

goes to the south

Lakeland meeting and

I cover the Furnessmeeting, and we

share information

about whats

going on, says

Sue.

Network meetings

are definitely not

talking shops. If

someone comes to

me needing advice onchanging careers, I wont

be able to help them, but I

will know someone through

New Frontiers because of meeting

everyone at the network meetings, so I

can signpost them on to that person, she says.

case study

Launched in October 2000 with money

from the governments Union Learning

Fund, the Morecambe Bay Lifelong

Learning Project is helping many of the

5,000-plus staff with reading, writing,

maths and computer skills.

The partnership comprises all the unions

at the trust, including Unison, Amicus,

the Royal College of Nursing and the

Chartered Society of Physiotherapists,

the employers and local education andIAG providers.

The project achieved matrix accreditation

in 2003.

Contacts:

Sarah [email protected]

Sue Brunton

[email protected] [email protected]


23/27

The project offers one-to-one guidance sessions and

an email advice servicedelivered by a 27-strong

team of working mediaindustry freelancers whohave been trained as

careers advisers.

case study Making it in TV

Skillsformedia is a strategic


guidance service for the

audio-visual industries,

developed through a

partnership between

Skillset sector skills council

and film and broadcasting

union Bectu.The service runs a telephone helpline using 30 specially

trained learndirect advisers which people can call for

information about developing their professional skills or

moving on within the industry.

It also offers one-to-one guidance sessions and an email

advice service delivered by a 27-strong team of working

media industry freelancers who have been trained as

careers advisers (five of whom have recently joined the

service to provide specific expertise in film).

And theres also the skillsformedia website, a massive

resource full of information about working in the TV and

film sector.

The initiative was originally launched as a careers advice

project by Bectu in 1999, with money from the

government's Union Learning Fund, and then expanded

into the current service through a partnership with

Skillset begun in 2001.

We work very closely with Bectu, explains client

services co-ordinator Sasha Kamenetski. We provide

redundancy support in conjunction with union officials,

and Bectu members accessing our services receive a 50

per cent discount.

Feedback from service users is extremely positive.

Freelance TV producer Lisa Williams Callaway, for

instance, was out of work when she rang skillsformedia,

and the adviser at the other end of the phone was able

to set her up with a one-to-one session to map out a

strategy to make her more marketable for the jobs she

wanted.

Photos Philip Wolmuth


24/27

Talking things over with skillsformedia opened up a

much wider variety of options and choices than I had

previously conceived, and I feel more optimistic about

my future career than I have in a long while, she says.

The face-to-face sessions are open to people over 18,

who have work experience in the audio-visual industries

or a media-related degree, which can help people break

into a sector where its notoriously difficult even to get

your foot in the door.

Budding scriptwriter Jason Mann, for example, was able

to get a free interview with a working scriptwriter by

calling the skillsformedia helpline a fantastic

opportunity for a 20-year-old learning his craft while

working in a cinema.

He proceeded to give me a load of detailed advice that

could only come from somebody (like him) who had

actually been through the experience and walked the

walk, Jason explains.

Ive always had faith in my ability, but never really

understood the mechanics of the process of getting my

work in front of the right people now I do.

Skillsformedia has recently raised its profile with all

the IAG Partnerships around the country

through an awareness-raising project with

funding from the Learning and Skills

Council, which proved useful,

according to careers co-ordinator

Adrian Tolson.

We surveyed the Partnerships

to let them know what we offer

and find out what they needed

to know from us, and quite a

few told us they hadnt

realised the range of services

we provide, he explains.

The service is currently

exploring the possibility ofproviding formal follow-up to the

on-to-one guidance sessions,

something its keen to do in the light

of feedback from service users, and also

wants to run more personal development

workshops for careers advisers.

case study

Skillsformedia was originally launched to

provide one-to-one guidance to

experienced freelancers in the TV and

film industries.

Its now developed into a strategic

information, advice and guidance service

with a broader remit linked to Skillset's

wider workforce development agenda and

the governments Skills Strategy with the

help of money from the government's

Union Learning Fund.

The project secured matrix accreditation

in 2003, with funding from the TUC

national IAG project.

Contacts:

Sasha Kamenetski

client services co-ordinator

[email protected]

Adrian Tolson

careers co-ordinator

[email protected]


25/27

"The process ofpreparing for the

matrixassessment has

convinced meof its value: I'm a

real convertthese days!"

case study Class act

The trade union studies

centre at Lewisham College

in south-east London became

the first in the country to

secure matrix accreditation

for the quality of its


guidance in 2003.

The centre offers a wide range of courses to shop

stewards, safety reps and learning reps to a range of

union members in the south-east of the capital and

beyond.

As well as running courses on the Deptford campus, the

centre also supports workplace projects at Belmarsh

Prison, Canary Wharf and South Central Trains (a

supported centre at the TGWU-ACTS office on the

nearby Greenwich Council site went independent in

early in 2004).

Sometimes its union officials who contact the centre to

see what they can provide, sometimes its workplace

reps keen to kick-start learning on the ground, and

sometimes its individual members or even non-members who get in touch to find out whats on offer.

Someone might ring up saying they want to do the

health and safety one-year course but it turns out that

they havent done stage one or two, so they dont have

the knowledge about how all that fits together, which we

can help them with, explains Rossina Harris, trade

union studies programme area leader at the college.

And sometimes people arent sure about what they

want: they might be a new ULR and we can advise themwhere to start in terms of progression and make sure

theyre on the right course.

Whether the initial approach is by phone, via email or

simply by someone dropping in, every contact is logged

together with details of what IAG has been provided.

We keep a record of every phone call and every email

that comes in and everyone who drops into the office,

and then we do a sample phone round of 50 per cent of

them every three months to see whether theyve

followed up on what weve told them, explains Rossina.

Photos Janina Struk


26/27

case study

Lewisham College trade union studiescentre offers a range of customised

courses for shop stewards, health and

safety reps and union learning

representatives.

It secured matrix accreditation in

autumn 2003.

Contact: Rossina Harris

trade union studies programme area leaderLewisham College

[email protected]

020 8694 3424

The ring-round is great, especially because we can then

identify the people who didnt get what they wanted, so

we can make sure they do second time around; and ifsomeone hasnt been able to take a course for some

reason, we can let them know when its next on, and

that helps keep the numbers up.

A breakdown of the survey results shows that around 90

per cent have got what they wanted first time, with

some of the remainder taking a course with another

college or through their union instead, and some being

prevented for personal reasons or by uncooperative

managers.

Its a system the centre put in place while preparing for

their matrix assessment. We kept records before, but

we keep them meticulously now, and its proved very

useful, because weve got the figures to prove what

were saying! Rossina says.

Working towards accreditation turned out well, she says.

When I first heard about the Quality Standard, I didnt

want to know, but the process of preparing for the

assessment convinced me of its value: you could say Ima real convert these days!

Its also given the centre vital experience of its own to

use on its IAG course for union learning representatives.

Weve recently run one for Remploy reps where I wasable to pass on everything wed learned in terms of

matrix, the Code of Principles and so on, Rossina says.

The centre is set to help two of its staff gain an NVQ

Level 2 in IAG through the London IAG Partnership in

the autumn, another benefit from joining the network,

which has also promoted the centres IAG courses in its

own publications.


27/27

Trades Union Congress

Congress House

Great Russell StreetLondon WC1B 3LS

020 7636 4030

[email protected]

www.tuc.org.uk

TUC Learning Services

The Cotton Exchange

Suite 506-510Old Hall Street

Liverpool L3 9UD

0151 236 7678

www.learningservices.org.uk

Quality Information Advice and Guidance for ULRs

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